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13)    Prayers Upon Him are a Significant Means of Easing the Crossing of the Sirat  (Bridge in the Hereafter)

Al-Ḥāfiẓ Abū Mūsā al-Madīnī and others have related on the authority of ʿAbd al-Raḥmān b. Samura (R) saying that the Messenger of God (PBUH) came out of the mosque one day and said, “…I saw a man from my community who was dragging himself on the sirat one time and crawling another time, then the prayers he sent upon me took him by the hand and made him firm on the sirat until he crossed it.”

14)  Sending Prayers Upon Him are a Means of Having the Name of the Sender Presented to the Prophet (PBUH) and its Being Mentioned in His Noble Presence

Al-Bazzār has related on the authority of ʿAmmār b. Yāsir (R) saying, the Messenger of God (PBUH) said, “God the Exalted has assigned an angel by my grave who has been given the names of all creation.  Nobody sends prayers upon me until the Day of Judgment except that he informs me with his name and the name of his father that: ‘So and so the son [or daughter] of so and so has sent prayers upon you.’”

Al-Ṭabarānī has related in al-Kabir that the Messenger of God (PBUH) said, “God has an angel to whom he gave the ability to hear the servants [on the earth].  There is not a person who sends prayers upon me except that I am informed of it.  And I have asked of my Lord that nobody sends a prayer upon me except that God reciprocates him with ten of its likeness.”

It is of sufficient honor, nobility, and esteem for a Muslim that his name be mentioned in the noble presence of the Messenger of God may peace and blessings be upon him!

15)  Sending Prayers Upon the Prophet (PBUH) is an Essential Means of Instilling Love in the Servant’s Heart for the Messenger of God (PBUH) and It is in Turn a Means of Evoking the Prophet’s (PBUH) Love for their Sender

Al-Tirmidhī relates on the authority of Ibn Masʿūd (R) saying, “The Messenger of God (PBUH) said, ‘The most worthy people of me on the Day of Judgment are those who used to send the most prayers upon me.’”  Ibn Ḥibbān has also transmitted this in his Sahih.

Thus the most worthy people of his (PBUH) love, nearness, and his exclusive intercession are those who used to send the most prayers upon him. 

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The Connection Between Loving the Prophet [PBUH] and Faith

It is reported that the Messenger of God (PBUH) said, “None of you truly believe until I have become more beloved to him than his father, his children and all of humankind.”  The Messenger of God (PBUH) also said, “Whoever possesses the following three qualities has tasted the sweetness of faith: the one for whom God and His Messenger are dearer than anything else,  [one] who loves a person and he loves him solely for God’s sake, and [one] who hates to revert to a state of disbelief as he hates to be thrown into the fire.”

In another hadith it is narrated, “We were with the Prophet and he took the hand of ‘Umar bin Al-Khattab. ‘Umar said to Him, “O Messenger of God, you are dearer to me than everything except my own self.” The Prophet said, “No, by Him in Whose Hand my soul is, (you will not have complete faith) until I am dearer to you than your own self.” Then ‘Umar said to him, “By God, it is now that you are dearer to me than my own self.” The Prophet said, “Now, O ‘Umar.”

As demonstrated in these hadiths and many others similar to it, loving the Messenger of God (PBUH) is a condition of faith (imān) and an indication of its genuineness.  This love engenders sincerity in our efforts to follow his (PBUH) example, facilitates the application of his (PBUH) teachings in our daily lives, and enables us to remain steadfast in walking on his (PBUH) straight path (al-ṣirāṭ al-mustaqīm), under the Prophetic banner.  Ḥasan al-Baṣrī relates that a group of individuals claimed to love God and so God tested their love by revealing the verses: “Say if you love God, then follow me and God will love you and forgive your sins [al-ʿImrān: 31].”  Al-Junayd said, “No one has reached God except through God.  And the path to reaching God is following the Chosen One (PBUH) (al-Muṣtafa).”  “Reaching God” (al-wuṣūl ilā Allāh) means, attaining a state in which God is pleased (marḍātillāh) with one.  It is based on this perspective that the Messenger of God (PBUH) said, “All of my community will enter Paradise except those who refuse.”  It was asked, “O Messenger of God, who refuses?”  He said, “Whoever obeys me will enter Heaven.  Whoever disobeys me has refused.”[1] Read the rest of this entry »

Salawat al-Muhibbin

A collection of 34 of many of the most beautiful and well-known prayers upon the Prophet (Peace and Blessings be Upon Him) in Majalis al-nur fi al-salati ‘ala al-rasul followed by their closing invocation.

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اللـَّهـُمَّ صلِّ صَلاة ً كامِلة ، وسَلـِمْ سلاما تاماً عَلى سَيِّدِنا مُحَمَّدٍ الذي تـَنـْحَلُّ بِهِ العُـقـَدُ، وَتـَنـْـفـَرجُ بِهِ الكُرَبُ، وَتـُقـْـضَى بِهِ الحَوائِجُ، وَتـُنالُ بِهِ الرَّغائِبُ، وَحُسْنُ الخَواتِيمُ، وَيُسْتـَسْقَى الغـَمامُ بِوَجْهـِهِ الكَريمُ وعلى آلِهِ وَصَحْبِهِ وَسَلـِّمْ في كُلِّ لـَمْحَةٍ وَنـَفَـس ٍ عَدَدَ كُلِّ مَعْلُوم ٍ لَكَ.

“O God, send prayers that are most complete and send salutations that are most extensive to our Master Muḥammad through whom knots are untied, and troubles are relieved, needs are fulfilled, aspirations are attained as are the best ends; and by whose noble countenance the clouds are watered.  And to his family and Companions [send] salutations in each moment and every breath by the extent of all that is known to You.”

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10)  The Houses in which the Qur’an is Recited Become Illuminated to the Inhabitants of the Heavens

Al-Bayhaqī has reported on the authority of ʿĀʾisha (R) that the Prophet (PBUH) said:  “The houses in which Qur’an is recited glow to the inhabitants of the Heavens the way in which the stars glow to the inhabitants of the earth.”

Al-Ḥakīm al-Timidhī reports on the authority of Abū Hurayra (R) and Abū Dardāʾ (R), “The houses of the believers are as lanterns in front of the Throne [of God].  It is recognized by the inhabitants of the seven Heavens.  They say: ‘This light emanates from the homes of the believers who recite the Qur’an.’”

11)  Recitation of the Qur’an Purifies the Heart

Al-Bayhaqī relates in Shuʿab al-īmān on the authority of Ibn ʿUmar (R) saying, “The Messenger of God (PBUH) said: ‘This heart rusts as iron rusts when exposed to water.”  It was asked: ‘O Messenger of God what is its purifier?’  He said: ‘An abundant remembrance of death and recitation of the Qur’an.’”

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The Islamic tradition teaches us that both students of sacred knowledge and their teachers have lofty principles and refined codes of conduct that they must adhere to in order to ensure that they can truly achieve virtue through their knowledge and that God opens up for them (futūḥ) the full extent of wisdom and perception.  From the most distinguished of these etiquettes (ādāb) that must accompany teaching and seeking knowledge are the following.

1)      To have respect in one’s heart and exhibit reverence for gatherings of knowledge.  This is embodied in some of the following practices:

a)       To have ritual purity and cleanliness before leaving to attend gatherings of knowledge.  The Companions of the Prophet (PBUH) and their followers used to be very attentive to this matter.  It is reported that Imām Mālik used to be meticulous in his veneration of gatherings of knowledge to the point that before narrating hadiths, he would make wuḍūʼ, wear his best clothes, sit upon his cushion, comb his beard, put on perfume, and sit in the most dignified and respectful posture.  When asked about this he replied, “I love to exalt the hadiths of the Messenger of God (PBUH).”       Read the rest of this entry »

The Legacy of al-Muhaddith al-Akbar Shaykh Badr al-Din al-Hasani: 1850-1935

One of his students related,“He would often ask us upon completion of his prayers, ‘Do you hear the reply of the Messenger of God (PBUH) during the tashahhud (recited during the sitting of the ritual prayer) when you say, ‘al-salāmu ʿalayka ayyuha al-nabiyyu wa raḥmatullahi wa barakātuhu?’ I used to ask, ‘And is there anybody who hears such a thing?’ He would respond, ‘There are people for whom if they lost their presence of heart with the Messenger of God (PBUH) for one moment, they would perish.’” 

Few people have had an impact on 20th Century Muslim society as Shaykh Badr al-Dīn al-Ḥasanī. In the Levant in particular, he was unparalleled in his stature among the people of sacred knowledge and came to be considered a reviver of Islam (mujaddid) during his era.  He was a man sought by poor peasants and powerful leaders alike, and to each he gave their rightful due with humility and justice.  His gatherings used to be flooded with students seeking to carry on the tradition of sacred learning as well as those simple souls who desired nothing more than acquiring the blessing of being in his noble presence.  It is reported that when he would pass by, people would peer out of their windows to catch a glimpse of him.  Despite his esteemed rank in the eyes of people, Shaykh Badr al-Dīn remained humble and dedicated to the service of the Muslim community until the final days of his life.

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Shaykh Umar al-Yafi b. Muhammad al-Husayni was born in the city of Yafa (Jaffa) in Ottoman Palestine in 1759/1173.  His family settled there after leaving Mecca for Morocco and then residing in the city of Dimyat in Egypt for a period.  He memorized the Qur’an with its proper recitation (tajwid) before the age of ten.  Afterwards, he set on the path of learning and spent many years in pursuit of sacred knowledge.  Upon completion of his foundational training under the important figures in his region, he traveled to Nablus and then to Egypt where he sat at the feet of the some of greatest scholars of his time.  After completing both his formal training in the Islamic Sciences and his spiritual training at the hands of his Shaykh al-Murshid Abu al-Fattah Kamal al-Din al-Siddiqi, he settled in Damascus where a section of the Umayyad Mosque was devoted to him and to this day is known as Mashhad al-Yāfī.  He was a Ḥanafī who had a deep knowledge of Islamic Law (fiqh), hadith, Arabic grammar, and morphology.  He was also a great spiritual guide who had a profound impact on the lives of the great many who were transformed by his teachings.   He expressed much of his divine love and wisdoms in the many lines of poetry he composed, which were later collected by his students in what became known as Diwan al-Yafi.  Amongst his most famous compositions is the short prayer for rain below.  In a region where water is scarce and rain is considered a blessing whose abundance or scarcity correlates with the good actions and sins of the community, this composition became sung far and wide.  Perhaps, what has distinguished this poem over others is the deep humility and sense of submission to God conveyed in Shaykh al-Yāfī’s plea, “If you are the Helper of only those who are obedient, who will then help those [of us] who are sinful?  The mercy of the Most-Merciful is absolute without any restrictions.  If none could hope for Your provision other than those who are obedient on Your path, in whom can those [of us] who disobey You seek refuge?  For, You are the Guide for those who are astray.”  If the elite who have devoted their entire lives to God implore Him as such, we are reminded of how much more we are utterly dependent on God’s mercy and guidance.

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When Imām al-Shāfiʿī complained to his teacher Wakīʿ of his difficulty in retaining knowledge, he was given profound advice that would become famous lines continuously echoed centuries later: “Abandon sin.  For knowledge is a light.  And the light of God is not granted to the disobedient.”  Reflected in the wisdom of this luminary’s words, we find a common understanding possessed by the scholars of the Islamic tradition regarding the nature of learning.  Namely, that knowledge is a divine gift whose acquisition is facilitated through meeting both spiritual conditions related to the heart as well as practical conditions such as consistency in study.  In an Islamic tradition whose foundation was based on learning, there was generally not considered to be a dichotomy between secular and religious sciences.  All of useful knowledge was regarded as sacred and its pursuit, an act of worship.  Below is a summary of some of the practical steps which lead to success in the pursuit of knowledge based upon the wisdoms of our many great scholars, both past and present.

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Al-Muzdawija al-ḥasnā lī al-istighātha bi-asmāʾ Allāh al-ḥusnā by Shaykh Yusuf al-Nabahani

Al-Ḥākim reports in a sound transmission, “Supplication is the weapon of the believer, the pillar of religion, and a light of the Heavens and the earth.”  The ability to directly supplicate to God without an intermediary is indeed a divinely granted privilege and a manifestation of God’s mercy and love for humanity.   Its abundance strengthens the heart’s connection to God and bestows light and clarity in times of both hardship and ease.  It is worthy of note that the wording of this hadith states that supplication or dua, is a weapon of a “believer,” rather than the more general category of “Muslim.”  One interpretation of this is that the place of belief is in the heart and the stronger the heart’s resolve that providential power supersedes all worldly power, the more frequent and fervent will be one’s supplication.  In turn, supplication also has the reverse impact of strengthening the heart’s faith (imān) and connection to God, when accompanied by the correct courtesies (ādāb) of dua and religious practice.  Hence the Prophet’s (peace and blessings be upon him) words, “supplication is the essence of worship.” 

Truly, the men and women of God continually recognized that the power of supplication is one that can overcome the most turbulent circumstances and challenges.  Shaykh Yūsuf al-Nabahānī (1849-1932) lived during the last decades of the Ottoman period when Muslims were challenged in multiple fronts on an unprecedented level.  As a great scholar and man of God, Shaykh Yūsuf al-Nabahānī reminded those around him that one must not forget to accompany one’s necessary struggle for justice, with an essential dose of supplication and calling on God for divine assistance.  The following ode, known as al-Muzdawija al-ḥasnā li al-istighātha bi asmāʾ Allāh al-ḥusnā (The Magnificent Ode in Seeking Assistance through God’s Beautiful Names), is one of his most famous literary contributions and continues to be sung throughout the Muslim world to seek divine assistance and victory.  It is often during times of hardship that hearts are turned back to the One in Whose power all relief from calamities lies.  God also reminds us in His scripture that “with hardship comes ease.”  May we continue our efforts and prayers for an increase in the descent of God’s mercy on all of humanity not only in times of urgency, but also in times of ease and prosperity.

 The Magnificent Ode PDF [Click here]

The vastness of the Arabic language has often been compared to the ocean.  As the ocean is rich in its inhabitants of many colors and forms, so too are the words of this divine language that take on a multitude of colors and forms determined by their linguistic environment.  Much of the words used within the context of the Islamic tradition have multiple meanings.  Words such as “sunna” for example, mean something specific within the context of the hadith sciences and something separate when used within the context of fiqh (jurisprudence) or uṣūl al-fiqh (legal methodology).  Furthermore, the same words such as sunna, bidʿa, fiqh, and countless other words have separate meanings when used more generally outside of the context of the Islamic sciences. 

Thus understanding definitions properly is essential to a sound understanding of various concepts within the sacred sciences. This is why many texts in the various Islamic sciences begin by providing a lexical meaning of a term, as commonly used within the Arabic language, before continuing to define a term in the context of the field in which it is used.   Some of the confusion in the modern period regarding the term “bidʿa,”  has been in great part due to a lack of understanding this foundational principle.  The word bidʿa by itself does not have a negative connotation unless used in the context of Islamic law (i.e. the sharʿī definition) where it would specifically be referring to a  bidʿa which is forbidden.  It is only when equipped with this understanding that we are able to comprehend the pious caliph ʿUmar b. al-Khaṭṭāb’s (RA) praise of the gathering of Muslims for twenty units of tarawīḥ as being an “excellent bidʿa,” the Qur’an’s reference to this term when discussing prophecy, and many other similar references to the term within their proper context.  While the study of bidʿa is a lengthy one, on which many treatises have been composed, this short study will briefly focus on the definition of this word from a lexical and legal perspective as well as examine the great scholar ʿIzz al-Dīn b. ʿAbd al-Salām’s seminal classification of bidʿa into the five categories which have generally been accepted by the majority of scholars of the Islamic tradition.   

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